Tuesday, 19 April 2016

Release of fraud suspects disgraces Taiwan

Parties, media call for justice for telecomfraud victims. Political parties and media outlets from Chinese Mainland and Taiwan have denounced a telecomfraud case, and said the suspects must be brought to justice. This is after Taiwan police on Saturday released 20 suspects who were deported from Malaysia....

Malaysia repatriated a group of telecom fraud suspects Friday, including
20 Taiwanese. Taiwan authorities maneuvered to have them sent to
Taiwan.

To the surprise of the outsiders, these Taiwanese
suspects were released in a few hours after arrival at Taoyuan
International Airport.

When Kenya last week sent a batch of
telecom fraud suspects to the Chinese mainland, also including
Taiwanese, it triggered a public outcry in Taiwan. Pro-independence
media and leading figures, including Tsai Ing-wen, protested against the
mainland for "illegal abduction." Now Taiwan is showing that it is more
lenient to fraud suspects than anywhere in the world.

Taiwan's
judicial authorities expressed that the crime was committed in Malaysia
and victims were mainlanders. Since they do not hold evidence against
these suspects, they have to release them first.

However last
week, the same department stated that it was in accordance with
international law that Kenya repatriated Taiwan suspects to the
mainland, and "only the mainland can hold them in control."
Pro-independence forces would not admit the change was a result of
pressure they exerted.

To the outside world, protests against the
mainland and releasing suspects show the ugly side of Taiwan politics
when it is taken hostage by radical public opinion.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is manipulating and coping with populism.

The release of the 20 suspects has disgraced the Taiwanese media and Taiwan's rule of law.

The
mainland is clear how the DPP is manipulating public opinion to
instigate "anti-China" sentiments. Swayed by such sentiments, Taiwan
politics prioritizes stance over facts.

Western democratic
politics can easily provide a hotbed for radicalism and extremism.
Taiwan and Hong Kong both have demonstrated this tendency.

A
judiciary case, which should be fact-oriented, is turned into a
political event across the Straits. The suspects even applauded Taiwan
for its "human rights" after being released. Should the mainland feel
indignant or treat it with disdain?

The key is that the mainland
should stick more firmly to its principles, and resolutely resist the
rascally demands by Taiwan's twisted politics.

Taiwan's poor
performance in handling the suspects is also teaching a lesson to other
countries. Malaysia is proved wrong in repatriating the fraud suspects
back to Taiwan. Kuala Lumpur should learn from the case and not be
tricked by Taiwan in the future.

Taiwan, which is an inseparable
part of China, is always eager to prove it is a "country." Taiwan's
ingrained sense of inferiority and paranoia have permeated into its
politics, resulting in its self-righteous performances, of which
Taiwan's public should be aware.- Global Times